Food safety
How long can food sit out?
Perishable food left at room temperature for more than 2 hours should be thrown out — 1 hour if it’s 90°F or hotter (a picnic, a hot car, a summer kitchen).
The reason is the Danger Zone: between 40°F and 140°F, the bacteria that cause food poisoning can double in as little as 20 minutes. The rule counts total time in that zone, not time per sitting. Your fridge should hold 40°F or below; the freezer, 0°F.
The rule by food class
One rule covers all perishables — the table varies only where FSIS documents a different instruction, and says so.
| Food | On the counter |
|---|---|
| Cooked food and leftovers | 2 hours — 1 hour at 90°F or hotter The clock runs any time the food is between 40°F and 140°F. |
| Raw meat, poultry, and seafood | 2 hours — 1 hour at 90°F or hotter Same rule; refrigerate or freeze promptly after buying. |
| Milk, dairy, eggs, and cut produce | 2 hours — 1 hour at 90°F or hotter Perishables all follow the same FSIS rule — there is no softer number for dairy or eggs. |
| Hot food being served | Keep it at 140°F or above FSIS’s hot-holding line: below 140°F, the 2-hour clock is running. |
| Frozen food you meant to thaw | Never thaw on the counter FSIS: thaw in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave — never at room temperature. |
| Shelf-stable food, unopened | Not a sit-out question Canned and shelf-stable foods are made to sit out; once opened, many become perishable — each food page says which. |
Quick answers
How long can food sit out at room temperature?
Perishable food left at room temperature for more than 2 hours should be thrown out — 1 hour if it’s 90°F or hotter. That is USDA FSIS guidance, and it applies to cooked and raw perishables alike.
Why 2 hours?
Between 40°F and 140°F — the “Danger Zone” — bacteria that make you sick can double in as little as 20 minutes. Two hours is the FSIS line for how long perishable food can spend there in total.
Does reheating food that sat out too long make it safe?
No. Some bacteria produce toxins that cooking does not destroy. If perishable food has been out past the 2-hour line (1 hour above 90°F), throw it out.
Does the 2-hour clock reset when I put food back in the fridge?
No — the time adds up. An hour on the counter at lunch and two more at dinner puts the food past the line.